August j



(-No Model.)

A. J. OBHRING. HANGER BOARD FOR ARG LAMPS. No. 555,112. Patented Feb. 25, 1896.

. D .l i VV UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

AUGUST J. OEIIRING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR rIO TI'IE IVESTERN rELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

HANGER-BOARD FOR ARC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,112, dated February 25, 1896.

Application led September 18, 1894. Serial No. 523,325. (No model.)

To all w71 ont t may concern: in binding-posts which may be readily adapt- Beit known that I, AUGUST J. OEHRING, ed to single-carbon lamps or to double-cara citizen of the United States, residing at bon lamps having wider frames. Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of I will describe my invention in connection 5 Illinois, have invented a certain new and usewith the accompanying drawings, in which- 5 5 ful Improvement in Hanger-Boards for Arc Figure l is a view of a hanger-board em- Lamps, Case No. 7,) of which the following bodying my invention, a single switch being is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, provided in the circuit. Fig. 2 is a side view reference being had to the accompanying of the board, showing the same secured to the io drawings, forming a part of this specification. ceiling, the alternative position of the bind- 6o My invention relates to hanger-boards for in g-posts being indicated in dotted lines. arc lamps, and its object is the provision of Fig. 3 is aview of a hanger-board embodying an insulating non-iniiammable hanger-board my invention, a pair of switches being prothat shall not be readily broken when subvided thereon. Fig. et is a partial sectional 15 jected to rough usage. view of the hanger-board, showing the enamel 65 My object is, further, to provide an iinprovided upon the surface of the cast-iron proved switch and improved binding-posts plate and the manner of mounting the bindfor the hanger-board. ing-posts thereon. Fig. 5 illustrates a lamp Formerly the hanger-board was constructsuspended from the hanger-board. zo ed of wood which, while it could be made in- Lilie letters refer to like parts in the several 7o sulating, was iniammable, and for this realigures.

son objectionable. In some municipalities The hanger-board is cast of the desired ordinances have been passed prohibiting the form and provided with holes a a by means use of hanger-boards of inliammable material, of which it may be secured to the ceiling. In

2 5 and it has been customary heretofore to concertain locations it is necessary that the chim- 7 5 struct such boards from marble or slate by neys a2 c2 of the lamp shall extend through cutting the same into the desiredshape, or the hanger-board, and for this purpose an from porcelain, the porcelain being molded opening a3 may be provided in the board. into proper form. llanger-boards made of Upon the board are provided the binding- 3o marble or slate are expensive and subject to posts b b', which preferably comprise a lower 8o be broken in handling or when subjected to portion, b2, provided withachannel into which strains resulting from the screwing of the the conductor may be laid, a removable cap same against an uneven surface. The latter, b3 being provided with a coacting channel while cheaper of construction, is open to the adapted to be placed over the conductor,

3 5 same objection of being easily broken. screws b* b4 being provided for securing the 8 5 My invention, in its preferred form, comcap to the lower portion, b2. The cap carries prises a hangerboard made of cast-iron or upon one end aperpendicular arm bprovided similar material, an insulating enamel being with a groove or channel into which the conprovided upon the surface of the iron which ductor may be laid, a cap b provided with a 4o renders it, as a body, insulating. Being thus similar channel being adapted to fit over the 9o made of cast-iron the board is not easily conductor and to be secured in position by broken in handling, nor is there a tendency means of the screws 127 bl. to break when the same is screwed upon an lVhen the binding-posts are to be used in uneven surface. rlhe binding-posts and conconnection with a lamp with a wide frame 45 tact-terminals are mounted upon the insuthe caps bsmaybeplaeedin position,as shown 95 lated hanger-board thus produced in a manin Fig. 2 in full lines, while if it be desired ner which will be hereinafter described. to use the board with lamps having narrow My invention consists, secondly, in a switch frames the caps may be placed in the posiadapted to prevent arcing when for any reation indicated by dotted lines.

5o son the switch is but partially closed; thirdly, The switch, as shown in Fig. 1, comprises roo a pivoted arm c comprising a pair of parallel plates o/ e2 adapted when the switch is closed to embrace the contact-terminal ci, an inward projection cI being provided upon one of the plates, as c2, adapted to engage a channel c5 provided upon the contact-terminal to maintain the arm in a closed position. A spring c7 is provided, havin g one end coiled about the pivot of the arm and maintained stationary, while the other end engages the edge of plate c to maintain the contact-arm normally in an opened position. Should the arm be left in a position such that an are might be formed between the terminal and the said arm, the spring reacting will serve to move the contact-arm out of contact with the terminal point and thus prevent the formation of an arc.

Referring to Fig. a, it will be observed that the enamel is provided not only upon the surface of the plate but also upon the walls of the holes provided therein for the securing thereto of the binding-posts and the other circuit-pieces, so that the possibility of closing circuit between portions of the circuit and the cast-iron of the han ger-board is prevented. All portions of the surface of the hangerboard being thus practically insulated the several cireuitpieees maybe secured directly to the surface of the board, but l preferably provide additional insulation.

As shown in Fig. the lower portion of the binding-post is secured to the plate by means ot' a screw d passing through the hole provided in the plate, the end of the screw being adapted to engage a tapped hole provided in the lower portion of the binding-post. A bushing c of vulcabeston or other similar insulating material is interposed between the binding-post and the surface of the plate, a portion of the bushing extending through the hole in the plate and surrounding the shank of the screw d. Upon the opposite side of the board provided a washer of vulcabeston e', upon which rests a metallic washer d2, against which the head of the screw may rest. As

shown in Fig. 2 the hangerboard when inpesition upon the ceiling rests with its upper surface at a slight distance from the ceiling, and in order to prevent the access to the circuit-pieces of water that may from any cause accumulate upon the top of the board the washer e and the head of the screw dmay be covered with paral'line, as indicated by the dotted lines.

The han ger-board as above constructed possesses all of the advantages as to insnlating properties of boards made of marble, slate, or porcelain, and possesses none of their disadvantages as to cost of construction and fragility. After the cast-iron has been cov ered with the insulating enamel the board .is to all intents and purposes completely insulating, and the current-carrying conductors mounted thereon maybe brought into direct contact with the surface of the board without danger of ground or short circuit, and while I prefer to employ additional insulation be tween the enamel and the conductors to p revent the abrasion of the enamel such precau tion is not essential, and l do not desire 1o limit myself to the employment ot' The additional insulation.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l.. In a hanger-board, the combination with the contactarm c conlprising the parallel plates c c2, one of said pla-tes being provided with an inward projection (f1, of a contact-leri minal c3 adapted when said arm is closed to rest between said plates to make contact therewith, said contact-terminal being provided with a channel c adapted to be engaged by said projection ci, and the spring (f7 for returning the contactarm to its opened position, substantially as described.

2. In a han ger-board, the combination wit h a base board of a pair of binding posts mounted thereon, said bimling-1-iosts comprising each a lower portion and a cap adapted to be secured thereto, said cap being provided upon one end with a perpendicular arm to which the conductor extending to the lamp may be attached, said caps being capable of attachment to the lower portions, with the arms upon the inside or upon the outside; whereby narrow and wide frame lamps may be accommodated, substantially as described.

In witness whereof l hereunto subscribe my name this 13th day ot' June, A. l). 118214.

AUGUST J. OEIUUNH.

\Vitnesses:

W. CLYDE JONES, GEORGE S. BUELL.

TOO 

